How do I fight off the nervousness as a New Nursing Student?

[brmuirhead]

I got my acceptance letter from Bakersfield College. I will be starting the nursing program August 2012. I'm super excited as this is what I have dreamed about my whole life. Everything I have worked so hard for is now right at my finger tips. Its such a great feeling, but also a scary feeling. I have found myself really nervous about starting. Not knowing what to expect, not knowing anyone, not knowing the studying techniques, and also the fear failing at something I have done nothing but worked hard for and dreamed about my whole life. I know there are probably a lot of you out there that have felt the same way. How did you overcome?

Any former/current nursing student, is there any advice you can give to help with all these nerves? I'm a good student, but not knowing what to expect is kind of getting the best of me.

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!! :)

[mitral]

Don't worry, you will soon be too busy to be nervous! Lol it really does help when you start getting know the other students, and you all can suffer together. Our class made a Facebook page and I highly recommend it! We posted reminders and info to each other constantly, as well as funny clinical pics :) It really helped us pull each other through.

[Katniss88]

I am a third semester student and I still get nervous in clinicals. In first semester I was so afraid to even walk into a patient's room, but now I am a lot better but I still get a little nervous when meeting my patient for the first time at the beginning of a clinical day. I'm still working on my confidence issues and trying to keep up with my instructor's expectations. At this point I still can't see myself being able to do a what RN's do on a daily basis and being able to keep up with everything it's just so overwhelming. It does get better and becoming friends with your classmates helps a lot as I found out in second semester and it makes nursing school a little better.

[CRNBSN18]

I am nervous/excited, like most of you are! I fear failing out and not doing well, while still having extreme confidence (if that makes sense!). I've worked so hard to get here! It's a very surreal feeling! I'm trying to relax and enjoy my summer but my anxiousness is robbing me of that!

Exactly how I feel.. Except I'm not getting to enjoy time off, I have a full summer load & kids! Lol. And I will have a week & a 1/2 between this semester and the fall semester. Busy busy busy. I have to keep looking at my letter. It seems so surreal! It's pinned on my corkboard above my desk for encouragement and reassurance!

[♑ Capricorn ♑]

How do I not be nervous? Well, I stop worrying about things I cannot change or do not have control over. Everyone is nervous. I know I'll be nervous when I start this year. I don't anticipate making myself sick to death because of nerves throughout my whole program. What works for me, is if i'm not thinking about something then I'm not worrying about it. Out of sight and out of mind. I know its tough, I know its not easy, I know I'm going to do unpleasant things and then some, I know I'm going to doubt myself a time or two, I know I'm not going to like everything about nursing. But, I'm not gonna make my nervousness my main focus to the extent that it is interferring with my studies, practice and life!